Open Minds || Book 1 || Golix [OLD]

Chapter 20: New kids? Part 1 (Long chapter ahead!)

Phoenix's POV

     I skid around the corner and dash out of the house, narrowly avoiding a knife thrown at me by none other than my father.  I quickly slam the door shut and adjust my small bag before dashing down the sidewalk.

     After I got back from the night shift earlier (and by that, I mean at 5:30 and crawling through my bedroom window) he beat me.  Again.  He doesn't know that I pretty much died last month.  Even if he did, he wouldn't care.

     I'm just eager to get away from the sick bastard.  But, this means putting up with another hell.  School.  Oh well.  Better than dealing with the one who shoved innocent kids into suits and laughed with a smile while he slaughtered them mercilessly. 

     I get to school, don't even stop at my locker, and just walk into homeroom and first period.  I sit in the back row, as always.  No one sits in it with me as they all file in, like usual.  But it doesn't bother me anymore.  It hasn't for a long time now. 

     Mrs. Black walks in with a new student with red hair wearing a red bandanna around his head.  I . . . feel like I've seen him before, but I don't know why.  He glances around the classroom, and looks at the teacher.

"Good morning class!  Today we have several new students joining our school.  One of them is in this class!  Would you like to introduce yourself?" She states, looking at the boy.  He nods.

"Sure.  My name's Flynn.  My friends and I just transferred here," he says.  I can hear some sort of familiar accent in his voice, and turns out, the others did too.  One raises their hand.

"What accent is that?"

"Irish.  My family was originally from there."

Mrs. Black nods. "Very nice. Now, you..." she trails off, scanning the classroom.  She smiles when her eyes land on me. "You may sit next to Phoenix. Phoenix, raise your hand so Flynn knows where to go."

     I hesitantly raise my hand, not exactly eager to have another person hate me.  He looks over at me and nods, walking over and sitting in the desk next to mine. 

"Hello! Why are ya sitting alone back here?" he asks.  I give him a side glance.  I sigh and shake my head. "Not much of a talker, are you?" he asks.  I shake my head again and pull out a piece of paper.  Mrs. Black had already started to teach the class, so I could pretend that I was writing notes.  My pen quickly writes down my explanation and I pass it to him. 

He reads it and looks up at me in confusion. "What do you mean that it's best not to talk to ya?  You seem so nice!"

     I flinch when he says that word, not believing him.  No one ever says that about me.  I look at him and bite my lip. 

"If you talk to me, they'll say that you're a killer.  Like they do to me.  I don't want to ruin whatever reputation you want here.  Don't be seen as an outcast, they'll treat you horribly.  I'm not worth risking that."

     As soon as I say that in a nonchalant voice, his eyes flash with shock. "Why would they treat someone like you so harshly?" 

     I just shake my head and turn back to face front, trying to focus on the lesson.  Instead, I let my mind drift back to the events of last month.  After going over it in my head two or three times, I hear the bell ring. 

     I quickly grab my stuff, stand from my seat, and quickly go to the door.  Flynn managed to grab my arm before I could leave.  I look up at him, and I can see Brittney glaring at me from the corner of my eye.